Box Score Wayne State 61 Southwest Minnesota State 51

            Junior forward Alisa Peterson poured in a career-high 21 points on 10 of 13 shooting and also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to lead Wayne State College in a 61-51 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win over Southwest Minnesota State Saturday evening at the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minnesota.  WSC is now 15-10 and 12-8 in the NSIC while SMSU drops to 5-21 and 3-17 in league play.
            The first quarter was close as the two teams exchanged three ties and one lead change before WSC took an 18-14 lead.
            WSC pushed the lead to nine (30-21) with 2:27 to play in the second quarter on a Maggie Schulte jumper before taking a 32-27 lead into the locker room at intermission.
            The Wildcats took control of the game early in the third quarter, using a 12-1 run in a span of 4:31 to take their biggest lead of the game at 46-30 with 3:55 to go in the quarter.
            Trailing 53-37 with 9:12 remaining, SMSU made a run at the Wildcats and got within six at 56-50 on a Lauren Hedlund layup with 2:49 to play.
            WSC then got a three point play on the next possession from Anna Martensen to put WSC in front by nine and the 'Cats finished with the 61-51 win.
            Peterson paced four double digit scorers for the Wildcats with her career-high 21 points, going 10 of 13 from the field.  Maggie Schulte added 14 points followed by Anna Martensen and Sadie Murren with 10 apiece.
            Wayne State shot just 23 of 64 from the field for 35.9 percent, including 3 of 14 behind the arc.  The 'Cats were 12 for 17 at the free throw line.
            Lauren Hedlund led Southwest Minnesota State with a game-high 23 points followed by Hope Bonlander with 19.
            SMSU made 22 of 67 from the floor for 32.8 percent, including 0 for 13 from the 3-point line and 7 of 11 at the foul line.
            The Mustangs won the rebounding battle over Wayne State 50-38 thanks to 13 caroms by Hedlund and 12 from Bonlander.  Peterson grabbed nine boards for WSC followed by Martensen with eight.
            SMSU had 18 turnovers in the contest to just 10 for the Wildcats, resulting in an 18-8 edge by WSC on points off turnovers.  Murren had five of Wayne State's 10 assists in the contest.
            Wayne State will be at home next weekend, hosting #9 Winona State Friday night at 6 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. contest Saturday vs. Upper Iowa in Rice Auditorium.